Beatus: The Spanish Apocalypse

A documentary film fourteen years in the making, Beatus: The Spanish Apocalypse explores the art, history and cultural ramifications of one of Spain’s greatest national treasures, the corpus of illuminated and illustrated medieval manuscripts based on the 8th century apocalyptic commentary by the monk, Saint Beatus of Liébana. Filmed on location in Spain, the documentary journeys through the towns, villages, routes, churches and monasteries behind the making of the 27 currently surviving manuscripts.

Professor John Williams, who has devoted over three decades to the study of the Beatus manuscripts, acts as the documentary’s guide and historian. The film follows Professor Williams on this literal journey across Spain and figurative journey into the past, as he recreates the historical, cultural, religious and artistic context in which the 8th to 12th century Spanish monks lived. Professor Williams also puzzles together connections from these works of art to present-day Spain, showcasing how much the Beatus manuscripts have shaped Spanish national identity and its artistic and cultural heritage.

Beatus: The Spanish Apocalypse was made possible with the generous support of Carol Grigor, the Annenberg Foundation, the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation.